Writing Better English for ESL Learners

Exercise 4.5The Joke.The story line: A boy takes a girl sledding. As they zoom
down a hill, he whispers affectionately in her ear. But she is not certain what
she hears. Later she marries and moves away. When she is old, she returns to
her hometown and plays the same trick on her friend from the past.

It was a cold day in.

Victor and Lara were school friends and decided

. The snow was fresh and the hill was inviting,

so they pulled their sled.

When , he sat behind Lara

and. They went slowly at

first, but and

. They built up speed, and by now
. Lara screamed with

delight, and Victor. He

liked Lara a lot but was afraid.

He wasn’t shy, but. So, as

they whizzed down the hill, he thought of a joke that

. As the air rushed past their ears, Victor leaned

forward and whispered, “ .”

Lara didn’t seem to hear him, so.

And he said in a rush, “I love you, Lara.” She began to blush. She wasn’t

Story Completion 125